Boat propulsion



April 6, 1937- M, F. DRUM, 4R.. E, AL 2,676,428

BOAT PROPULS ION Filed April l2, 1935 ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 6, 1937BOAT PBOPULSION Mortimer F. Drudy, Jr., Richmond Hill, and Arthur G.Mahoney, New York, N. Y.

Application April 12, 1935, Serial No. 16,098

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-95) This invention relates to boat propulsion, anobject of the invention being to provide improved means for turning thepropeller of the boat, which includes a receptacle for water and airunder pressure, whereby the water is forced in fine jets or streams fromthe blade or blades of the propeller to turn the same.

While our invention is especially adapted for use in connection with toyboats it is obvious that there are many features of the same which mightalso be adapted for larger boats, and we do not wish to be limited inthis respect.

A further object is to provide a boat which will move through the waterat considerable l5 speed, and which may be driven for a relatively longtime without renewing the water or air f therein.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointedout in the claim:

In the accompanying drawing- Figure -1 is a view in longitudinal sectionthrough a toy boat illustrating our invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view mainly in longitudinal section but partlyin elevation, illustrating a propeller and its mounting;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the three-blade propeller in which ourinvention is embodied;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly inelevation, illustrating a modification; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in transverse section through the water andair inlet port.

I represents the hull of a boat which may take any desired form and beornamented with any desired superstructure, either imitation or real, sothat it is understood that the boat may have 40 the appearance of anytype of boat to be found on the market.

The hull I is hollow and constitutes a receptacle for water, indicatedby the reference character 2, and this water is under air pressure. Aninternally screw-threaded in1et3 is provided on the deck "4 of the boat,and has a removable screwthreaded plug 5 with an air passage 6therethrough and a check valve 'I in said passage. This plug has athreaded nipple B thereon for the attachment of the hose constitutingthe outlet of any suitable pump so that air may be forced to exert thenecessary pressure on the water. A screen 9 is preferably provided atthe inlet to screen the water pouredtherein when the plug is 55 removed.

In the lower portion and at the stern of the boat a tube Il is securedand extends through the stern of the boat and may have any suitablebearing bracket II to strengthen the same. In the fixed tube Il a rotarytube I2 is located which is of appreciably less diameter than the tube'I0 and turns freely in a bearing I3 near the rear end of the tube Il.The rear end'of the tube I2 is screwed onto a threaded nipple I4constituting a part of a bearing block I5, turning in the tube III, anda second bearing block I6 having a nipple I1 thereon screwed into theforward end of the tube I2 turns freely in the tube I0. A suitablepacking I8 is located around the tube I2 in the tube I0 to ensure awater-tight juncture of the tubes.

The bearing blocks I5 and I5 are tubular in form, so that water passesfreely therethrough, and a propeller, indicated generally by thereference character A, is secured on the rear bearing block I5 and turnswith the same. This bearing block I5 communicates with a central chamberi8' in the center of the propeller A, and small ducts or passages I9 areformed in the propeller blades and extend to the edges thereof so thatwater passing through the tube I2 flows through the ducts I9 andescaping in the form of pressure jets against the water causes thepropeller to turn and propel the boat. To shut oil and also to controlthe iiow of water to the propeller a turn plug or other suitable form ofvalve 20-is provided at the inlet end of the tube I0 and controlled bythe stem 2I extending upwardly through a suitably packed stuiing box 22in the deck l, and having a hand wheel or other device 23 thereon toturn the same.

In Figure 2 the propeller illustrated is a twoblade type, and in Figure3 a modification is illustrated showing a propeller 2l of the threebladetype, and it is, of course, to be understood that the propeller may haveany suitable number of blades, and that the blades are provided withducts or passages discharging at the edges of the blades. In Figure 4one of these blades is shown having a plug 25 to close the duct I9,which is illustrative of the idea that one or more of these ducts I9 maybe`closed which, of course, would result in a decrease in the speed ofthe boat, but power for a longer time.

In operation it is simply necessary to remove the plug 5 to pour thedesired amount of water into the hull I. Then replace the plug 5 andcouple the same to an air chamber to raise the air pressure in the hull,as desired. When the boat is in the water the valve 20 is turned to openthe same to allow the water to flow to the propeller and through theducts I! in the blades thereof, and as above explained this waterescaping in the form of jets at the edges of the blades causes thepropeller to turn and propel the boat.

While we have illustrated what we believe to be the preferred embodimentof our invention, it is to be distinctly understood that various slightchanges may be made with regard to the form and arrangement of partswithout departing from our 10 invention. and hence we do not limitourselves to the' precise details set forth but consider ourselves atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of the claix'n.

What we claim is: o

A toy boat including a hollow body in the shape ot a boat and comprisingan airtight water and compressed air chamber, said body having inletsfor water and air under pressure, a propeller at the stern of the body,a water tube secured to the propeller and projecting into the body belowthe water level therein, said propeller'having ducts in its bladesextending to the edges of the blades and through which water admitted tothe propeller through said tube escapes in the form of jets tocause-'the propeller to turn and propel the boat, a fixed tube aroundthe first-mentioned tube and supplying water to the first-mentioned tubeand propeller, a manually operated valve at the inlet end of said xedtube, and a stem on said valve projecting upwardly through the body ofthe boat in position for manual control outside of the boat.

MOR'I'IMER F. DRUDY, JR. ARTHUR G. MAHONEY.

